Neal Litherland
Founding member
Bio
Neal Litherland is an author, freelance blogger, and RPG designer. A regular on the Chicago convention circuit, he works in a variety of genres.
Blog: Improved Initiative and The Literary Mercenary
Stories (309/0)
The Black Blade Bastard
Arven Veck eyed the sword suspiciously. The mercenary had the look of a man who'd lived a hard life, and his suspicious, green eyes spoke of someone who'd learned to look for traps in every good hand fate chose to deal him. Giving the weapon a wide berth, he checked the spells and lock of his hair he'd set on the door. Both were right where he'd left them, indicating no one had entered that way.
By Neal Litherlandabout a year ago in Gamers
5 Cringey Clerics You Meet in Your Gaming Career
The cleric is one of the oldest standbys of fantasy RPGs, going all the way back to the earliest editions when it was called the priest. A servant of divine powers, the cleric is given the ability to manifest miracles to aid their allies, turn back abominations, and heal their companions... but if you've ever shared a table with one of these clerics, you might have decided to just load up your pack with healing potions and take your chances without bringing the god botherer along.
By Neal Litherlandabout a year ago in Gamers
5 Classes To Pair With The Shadowbound Corruption
There are some experiences you simply cannot emerge from unscathed. Things that, even if you survive, scar your soul and stain the fabric of your flesh. Those who have been lost to the light for too long, and fell through shadow, might find that it is now an indelible part of them. And just as shadow seeks to consume light, so too you will be lost to darkness if uncontrolled.
By Neal Litherlandabout a year ago in Gamers
Broken Chains: A World Eaters Tale
This story is a sequel to Waking Dogs. Locanthus VII was in chaos. Fires raged out of control, blood ran in the streets, and alarms blared from every spire, each of them bellowing conflicting commands at the citizens of the city. Las fire crackled through the night, and bolters bellowed their explosive wrath. Nightmares in red armor roamed the streets, their battle cries nearly as loud as the roar of their weapons as they brought death and destruction. The carnage blotted out the stars, and smoke billowed to the heavens like a burnt offering to all the gods of slaughter that had ever looked down on nights filled with bloodshed.
By Neal Litherlandabout a year ago in Fiction
5 Tips For Playing Better Kineticists
There are many forms of power in the world. Some channel the might of the gods, others master the disciplines of steel, and a select few embrace a potent fury within themselves. Many will transcribe arcane rites, some will follow complex philosophies, and others are simply gifted with strange powers due to a potent bloodline.
By Neal Litherlandabout a year ago in Gamers
How To Build a Night Lords Space Marine
When the Emperor of Mankind forged his space marines they were meant to be great warriors and protectors of humanity. His gene science and warp mastery allowed him to bestow upon his creations certain gifts and flaws, making them ideal as particular weapons of war. Of all his creations, though, none were bloodier or more terrifying than the VIII Legion... the Night Lords.
By Neal Litherlandabout a year ago in Gamers
The Savage Monk
The Testament of Blood was a time-honored tournament that drew warriors from all schools, and all disciplines. From the isolated mountaintops of the Yasurai, to the rushing river fighters of the Montak lands, champions came to test their skills and strength against one another. Every four years, the sands of the arena were spattered with sweat as the finest students of the established forms met, and battled.
By Neal Litherlandabout a year ago in Gamers
An Exploration of "Reverse Stereotype" Characters in RPGs
Stereotypes and tropes are a big part of storytelling traditions, so it's no wonder that they're also a big part of our RPGs. Whether we're talking about traditional high fantasy games, gritty modern horror settings, or post-apocalyptic romps, everything comes with its own symbolic language.
By Neal Litherlandabout a year ago in Gamers
5 Classes To Pair With The Promethean Corruption
All power comes at a price. Corruptions are things that can twist the body, and taint the soul, but they also allow one to go beyond what they would normally be capable of. This option, put forth in Horror Adventures, is one that a lot of players have been hesitant to delve into. As such I thought I would put together a series of articles where I suggest some the best classes to pair with given corruptions, and to try to minimize the potential harm they can do while emphasizing the powers they offer.
By Neal Litherlandabout a year ago in Gamers
The Unsettling Sorcerer
The man who entered the inn out of the darkness was a haint on two legs. His ragged black hair was shot through with lightning bolts of dirty white, a hitch in his stride gave him a strange, unnatural gait, and his heavy hands boar thick, hoary nails that were akin to claws. It was his face that was the most arresting, though. Every feature, taken on its own, was beautiful. When put together, though, they were disjointed and uncanny. The eyes were too intense, and slightly offset. The mouth was full, but too wide for the face, and the teeth were strong and white but a little too sharp. His voice, when he spoke, was too deep for the chest it came out of; it created the distinct impression of something speaking through him, the words echoing out of a deep, unseen well.
By Neal Litherlandabout a year ago in Gamers
50 Two-Sentence Horror Stories, SCP Edition
There are things lurking in this world that would rob you of ever getting a good night's sleep again. Creatures ripped from your nightmares, holes in the world that devour anything that comes near them, and cosmic secrets lurking just out of sight, biding their time in the darkness of the void between worlds.
By Neal Litherlandabout a year ago in Fiction